Candy Testing

THERE ARE A FEW WAYS TO TEST CANDY TO SEE IF IT'S READY - HERE ARE THE TWO THE BOREN'S USE:

NUMBER 1: CANDY THERMOMETER

• This is my preferred method, because it gets you in the ball park a lot better than "let the mixture get to a roiling boil before stirring continuously for 7.5 minutes." I've made some pretty nasty caramel trying to time when it "starts" boiling... those caramel apples could break teeth!

• Most stores carry digital thermometers - you can get one from Walmart for around $15.00 if I remember correctly.

• They usually have a metal probe and a plastic covered wire connecting to the digital readout thingy... (yes, that's a technical term). Be careful not to burn the wire on the stove or in the oven.

• Speaking of ovens, these thermometers can also be used to test the internal temperatures of meat! How handy!

• NUMBER 2: COLD WATER METHOD - Grandma T.'s (Katie's Grandma's method)... she never used a thermometer, and her candy was awesome!This is my back up - my sure safe. I cook to a few degrees lower from what the recipe says and test it with the cold water before deciding if it's had enough or if it needs to cook to a higher temperature.

• It's important to have cold water ready before you start making the candy so that you don't accidentally overcook while you're preparing it.

• Fill 2-3 glasses or small bowls with ice water (the ice can still be in there). It is essential that the water be ice cold each time you test.

• When you're ready to test, drizzle a few drops of the candy syrup from the spoon directly into the cold water - this will give you a feeling for what it will be like when the candy cools.

• Give it a few seconds to cool off and then test it with your fingers to see how soft/hard the candy is. If it is too soft, then kick up the heat a little and get the candy to a higher temperature and use the cold water test again. If it's too hard, then TOO BAD - you can't go back! That's why I like to start testing when the temperature is lower than what the recipe says.

• The following I got from a website, so it might not be correct... a little experimentation is needed:

  • Thread - Drops can't be gathered together, but start to diffuse into the water (good for caramel ice cream topping) (230°F)

  • Soft ball - Drops can be gathered into a ball, but it is very soft and pliable - it will press flat when picked up (good for scooping up with apple slices... might be too soft to actually dip them) (234°F)

  • Firm ball - Drops can be gathered into a ball and it is firm - it flattens when purposely pushed (good for apple dipping) (244°F)

  • Hard ball - Drops retain shape when they hit the water but you can dent them with your fingernail (250°F)

  • Soft Crack - Candy syrup will stay in water as threads that can be bent (270°F)

  • Hard Crack - Candy syrup separates into threads that are hard and brittle (300°F)

• Again - these descriptions and temperatures might not be accurate for your thermometer, or they might not work like you think they will when you really do it... I apparently cook my toffee to the soft crack stage according to this chart (it breaks, but it's still slightly chewy - that's how I  like it). Play around with the temperatures until you find what you like AND WRITE IT DOWN so you remember what to do next time!